Meeting Old Friends! x
by Sasuke4Tenten
Summary: This is a FanFic mainly about Shikamaru, Ino, Tenten and ? Couples ShikaIno/InoShika and ?Ten/Ten? Slightly KankuTen. Old friends are reunited and past enemies show up. Please REVIEW! This is my First FanFic and I WILL continue if you like it xx
1. Meeting an old Friend

**Meeting Old Friends!**

**This is my first ever FanFic so please be nice! The main couples are Shika Ino & ?Ten! If you are a fan of Sakura I advice you to click to back button. (In other chapters there is some slight Sakura bashing!) Btw I **_**am **_**a fan of Temari. **

**Constructive criticism ****only!**

**Please**** REVIEW!!**

**Oh yeah..! Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in it. If I **_**did**_** Tenten would be shown ****way**** more often! **

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Meeting an Old Friend!

One morning Shikamaru was enjoying his sleep until.. An annoyed looking Temari woke him up for training.

"Shikamaru wake up, lazy! I need to practice my jutsus!" Demanded Temari.

"Leave me to sleep." Shikamaru moaned. Using the pillow to block his ears.

"Be that way you lazy SLOB!" She roared while she stormed out of the room. Shikamaru watched her leave and tried to get back to sleep.

"What a drag...." He said sleepily.

Soon after he woke up fully because then he couldn't get back to sleep. He decided to go for a walk. The streets were busy with people chatting to each other and some were shopping. Then he saw something red and bushy coming through the crowd. He recognised that hair anywhere.

It was team-mate, and best friend Choji. Choji ran up to him munching away on his chips. _'Same old Choji.'_ Thought Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru I got some..*Munch*..good news. *Munch* ..Ino.. *Munch*" "Stop eating and tell me properly." The lazy Shinobi moaned. '_Did he say something about Ino? Or am I imaging things? I haven't seen her in such a long time with her courier mission to the Village Hidden in the Clouds ...Maybe I'm not properly awake yet..' _

"Ok...Ino is..." He paused and took a dramatic breath. "FINALLY OVER SASUKE!! YAY!!" Choji cheered enthusiastically. _'Really?!' _Shikamaru smiled inwardly. But his smile then turned into a frown. "Oh…" He looked slightly upset. "Well...it's a bit to late for that now..." "Why?" asked Choji, "I thought you liked her?" The red headed boy looked confused at what his team-mate was saying.

"I _did_.. But I thought I was wasting my time..'' He looked down at his feet. Choji raised an eyebrow at his friend. "All she ever talked about was her _Sasuke-Kun! _And I've got a girlfriend now, a really moany girlfriend. I would of asked her out.. if she wasn't so into the Uchiha..." Shikamaru was looking up at Choji now, as he explained.

"Oh...'' Choji never knew that about his friend. And he knew everything about Shikamaru. From his favourite ramen dish to his favourite music. But he also knew that he wasn't too fond of Sasuke. Shikamaru believed he was too over rated by everyone in the village and that a part of him was glad that he left the village for Orochimaru.

Choji then realised the time. ''I-I gotta go.. Sorry man. I need to get some dinner. If you need anything else visit me, okay?'' He looked guilty that he couldn't stay with his friend for very long.

"Yeah, sure.." He replied lazily. ''Bye Shikamaru." Choji said as he waved goodbye and headed for home.

He realised that it was starting to get late so Shikamaru headed towards the Ichiraku Ramen stand for some dinner of his own. The street lamps where lighting and the street's crowds were slowly dwindling away. All that talking to Choji made him hungry. When he was approaching he could smell the delicious aroma of their famous ramen. The normally crowed eating spot was now empty. Shikamaru liked it that way though. He hated when a lot of people were around when he was trying to eat in peace. Especially when a certain annoying, hyperactive ninja was around.

He took up one of the wooden stools around the counter and placed each of his elbows on it. He began to think of what to order. After deciding, his mind then pondered on about what Choji had said about Ino.

Then, a blonde girl sat down a stool away from him. He glanced at the girl from the corner of his eye. Then he realised it was the one and only Ino Yamanaka. His childhood crush.. He noted she didn't look much different since the last time he saw her. She still had her long, blonde hair. Her signature colour, purple shirt and skirt and the netted material around her knees and elbows.

She turned to him and recognised him right away. She smiled warmly at her friend. "Long time no see... Shika-Kun." Ino greeted casually. "Y-Yeah.." Shikamaru agreed as he started blushing slightly. "Hehe, why have you have gone all red for?" Ino asked innocently and giggled.

_'God, she's so cute when she laughs... WHAT are you thinking?! You have a girlfriend now so STOP thinking like that!' _Shikamaru went even redder at her question.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when the waitress came out from the kitchen and asked for their orders. Once they ordered Shikamaru really wanted to ask one particular question since she had began talking to him. A while later he persuaded himself to ask it.

"Choji said your over Sasuke... Is that true?" Shikamaru asked a slight hint of curiosity and happiness in his voice.

The waitress then returned with their food. "Here you are. Enjoy." She said and then walked towards the kitchen at the back again.

"Yeah, that's true. I figured I was wasting my time with him." Ino looked down at her bowl of Ramen and started to swirl the contents of it with her chopsticks. "There is no point in being a fangirl to someone who will NEVER return your feelings...'' Ino looked ashamed and embarrassed at looking back on her younger days.

''But I'm glad I realised that.. So I could focus more on being a great ninja instead.'' She looked over at Shikamaru more happily. ''I heard your going out with that scary Sand Village girl, Temari. Is that true?" Ino questioned while raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think I might leave her though. She's too much into training, she doesn't care about MY feelings it's all about Iher/I! Also, we never get to do anything apart from training." He explained. "Sounds so hard, you without your sleep-ins, poor you! " Ino teased and then laughed. Shikamaru then raised the eyebrow at _her_. "Why do you have to joke about everything?" He moaned for the third time today.

They fell into a comfortable silence and the two friends started eating their Ramen.

Once they had finished, Shikamaru paid the bill even though Ino stated she could pay for her own, he didn't listen. _'Same old Shika; so stubborn.'_ She thought.

Ino suggested that they walk to the Leaf Village pond. It was a warm night and there was a slight breeze. They stood on the bridge admiring the shining stars and the beautiful, blue moon. Except, Shikamaru was admiring her. _'All these years and I haven't told her how I feel...'_

Ino turned to Shikamaru and they both look deeply into each others eyes. _'Well this is it. It's either now or never!'_ Shikamaru couldn't stand it anymore, so he grabbed Ino and kissed her lightly. She went quite red but she enjoyed every second of it.

_'Why is he doing this?! He has a girlfriend! But.. this feels so right...'_

After a few seconds, (Which seemed like forever to them!) Shikamaru let go of Ino. Looking into her crystal blue eyes. He was glad he showed his feeling towards her through that special kiss. A light pink crept up Ino's cheeks as she was looking up to him. All she could say was,

''Thank you, Shikamaru.''


	2. The Test!

**From:** Naruto Shippuuden  
**Characters:** Ino, Temari, Shikamaru, Tenten, Lee & Tsunade.  
**Warnings:** None  
**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto!

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The Test!

The next day Shikamaru had to go against his fear... breaking up with Temari! He asked Temari to meet him in Konoha's park.

"Temari..uh...well...er..I-I think it's time that w-e should see o-other people..." Shikamaru stuttered, looking everywhere but her. "Ohh...'' Temari looked disappointed and then looked down at her feet''I knew it! Your in love with that Ino girl, aren't you?! Where is she?!" Temari snapped. Her mood changed completely in a blink of an eye.

"I-I dont know!" Shikamaru replied. "I'll find her myself, and stay out of my way!" Temari shouted as she stormed off.

He watched her figure become smaller and listened to the sound of her footsteps retreating.

'Ino...' Shikamaru said to himself, _'I've got to find her before Temari does!' _

Ino was sitting in the park admiring the colourful flowers with their delightful scent and admiring the view. Her mind then drifted to the incident with Shikamaru the night before. The feelings she experienced being with him came flooding back to her. The scent of his clothes and his skin just seemed so.. intoxicating. Then suddenly a big gust of wind blew. Rocking the defenceless little plants around violently and snapping the kinochi out of her wonderful day dream.

She turned around quickly to see a very angry and annoyed Temari standing there. Both of her fists were clenched tightly. Her face showing frustration and hurt. The wind then quickly subsided.

"What do you want?" Ino asked as she cautiously as she surveyed the sand villager up and down. Ino knew that she had a hot temper and you have to be careful around her when it was lit. No one knows what an intimidating sand villager will do next.

"Why did you make Shikamaru break up with me?!" She demanded. Tears forming in her teal coloured orbs. Her fists still clenched. ''This is all your fault! You told him to break up with me! Didn't you?!'' She wiped them away quickly before they fell.

''Why would I do that?! I would never make someone do something like that!'' Ino exclaimed as she glared at Temari. "Yeah. Like your Miss Goody Two Shoes!" Temari retorted pointing towards her with her right hand. "I'm not heartless! I would never make someone break up with their girlfriend for the sheer pleasure of it!" She shouted. Ino was getting very impatient and frustrated at the girl's antics.

"Hello my youthful friends!" A voice yelled. They both turned around to reveal who said such a weird greeting. "Lee?" Ino raised an eyebrow at Kohona's, 'Handsome Green Beast!'

"Yes! It is I, the great and youthful Rock Lee!" Lee declared as he put a hand on his chest proudly while smiling with a sparkle that went 'Ping!' _'What a dork..'_ Temari thought while she sweat dropped anime style. "Ino-san, Tsunade want's to see you in her office right away!" Lee informed while jogging on the spot. _'Seriously. Who wears spandex..?_ Temari rolled her eyes at the bowl headed ninja.

"Umm Ok. Thanks." Ino replied while smiling. "Good luck youthful one." Lee shouted over his shoulder as he jogged away. _'Now I can get away from Temari.'_ Ino thought happily while walking away from the pissed, pineapple head.

"Hey! Were are you going?" Temari shouted. "I'm going to see Tsunade. Duhh!" She shouted back while rolling her eyes. "Humpf!" Temari turned her nose up at the blond kinochi and spun around to leave.

_'Looks like I'll have to have a little chat with Ino later.'_ Temari smirked and headed in the opposite direction.

*In the Hokage's Office*

Ino knocked on the office door lightly."Come in." Stated Tsunade. Ino opened the door gingerly and walked over to her desk. Tsunade swung the chair around to face the teenage kinochi.

"You wanted to see me Miss?" Ino asked the fifth."Yes Ino, I did. I wanted to let you know that Kohona and Suna are going to take part in a certain test." Tsunade began. Ino raised an eyebrow at her.

"This is a very serious test which you will choose your partners and your team will have to co-operate well to pass. But, choose your team members wisely because your recklessness may cost you your life." the Hokage stated clearly and simply. Ino didn't expect that coming.

"It will last for about two or three days and there will not be any spectators. Meaning anything could happen to you or your comrades."

"But why have you chosen me? There are a lot of other capable ninja in this village." Ino questioned. "Well, nearly all of our ninja are either on missions or are away to the peace agreement in Suna." Tsunade answered.

"So when should I choose my team members?" Ino asked. "I would prefer if you told me now because I have to notify the Kazekage about your decision." she informed while arranging the papers on her desk. Ino thought for a while about the ninja she knew and noted their pros and cons. "I have made my decision. I am going to chose Shikamaru Nara and Tenten." Ino stated. "Okay. I'll arrange the test with Gaara and I'll notify you when everything is sorted. You have a day to prepare." Ino nodded.

"You may leave now." Tsunade gestured then Ino began to leave.

_'I wonder who will be chosen to enter for Suna...'_ Ino thought while exiting the office.

*Ino's House*

Ino was now checking her contacts and then selected her lazy team mates number. "Hey Shika! I need you to come to my house! It is an emergency, bye!" Ino quickly stated not letting him have time to reply.

She hung up and selected her brunette friends number. "Hey Tenten, I need you to come to my house it is an emergency! Bye!"

About 15 minutes later Ino heard a knock at a door, as she opened the door she saw Shikamaru with flowers and in a suit. "Uh…What are you wearing!?" Ino asked looking confused."Are we not going on a date?" Shikamaru questioned looking confused also. "No…I need to tell you something, Duh!!" Ino replied and sweat dropped anime style.

_'I am such an idiot!'_ He mentally slapped himself. _'But Ino is very unpredictable so I guess I wasn't 'that' stupid..' _She moved aside to let her friend in and led him towards the living later there was another knock at the opened it to reveal a curious looking Tenten. "What's up Ino?" Tenten asked. Ino beckoned Tenten to come inside. Tenten closed the door behind her quietly and followed her friend down the hallway into the living room. Shikamaru was sitting on one of the armchairs with his eyes closed.

"Ino.. What's the matter..?" The brunette ninja asked as she plopped herself down on the turned around to face her friends. "Well you see.." Ino began. Shikamaru and Tenten raised an eyebrow at the blonde girl. "I kinda.. Sorta.. Chose you two.. To enter the exam.." Ino murmured.

"What exam?" Tenten asked. "The one with Suna.." Ino looked at them both waiting for Tenten to explode.. But it didn't happen.

_'She's kidding right..? Ino's such a troublesome girl… I bet she doesn't even know about the exam properly. Looks like I'm going to have to explain.'_ Shikamaru thought while older girl just looked at her with her mouth hanging slightly open.

"I know you probably don't want to do it with me but.." Ino said while looking down."I..ahh umm…" Tenten didn't know what to say.

Shikamaru was still quiet though, but then spoke up, "Ino. This exam is only taken every few years when two or more countries are going to become allies. It's very important and dangerous to take and a lot of Ninja have lost their lives participating.." Shikamaru explained seriously.

"But why choose me?" Tenten asked her friend. "Well why not?" Ino asked and raised an eyebrow. Before Tenten could reply to her she began, "You're like the strongest kinochi in the whole village Tenten! You're fast, intelligent and skilled." Ino complimented and then smiled. "Really..?" Tenten questioned."Yeah! You could do this test blind folded." Ino said laughed at her friend then looked at Shikamaru.

"Umm Ino?" She looked back to Ino, "What exactly is the test anyway?" "Well, It's a exam where a small group of ninja from each village compete against each other. The exam can be held anywhere. Ninja from other villages can interfere with it also. But they cannot interfere if they are from your own village. I don't know the reason for this exam and what we will benefit from it but Lady Tsunade herself instructed me to take part in it so it must be important." Shikamaru just sighed. _'This is gunna be such a drag..' _

"How long do we have to prepare for it?" The weapon mistress asked. "One day." Ino replied simply.


	3. Tenten's Preparation

Tenten's Preparation

_'Does Ino seriously expect me to be of any use to her during this test..?'_

'_I'm the girl who always tried to prove to people that Kinochi could be as great as Shinobi, but no one believed. The one only known as 'the girl on Gai's team'. Not known for being strong or skilled. _

_I'll probably just get in their way…' _

_~ Flashback ~_

Battered and bruised, a motionless body lay lifelessly on the hard, cold ground in the centre of Team Gai's training grounds.

Undone from her hair ties, her long brown hair lay messily around the Kinochi's face, sprawled on the ground. The night breeze and ice cold rain whipped harshly against the trees surrounding the area. She didn't notice that her body shivered from the rain that prickled her skin and soaked through her clothes. Her newly bought, soft lemon shirt -that was now ripped in several places as so were her shorts- clung to her goose bump covered skin. Her body ached from the blows she received about an hour or two earlier.

The taste of dirt didn't bother her anymore. Lying faced down and breathing it in and out repetitively she became accustomed with it. Her mind told her to rise to her feet but her body refused to co-operate. A tear escaped her eye and trickled onto the ground below her. The cause of her now crippled state replayed into her mind again.

She was told to meet him at the training grounds at 9pm. She was informed that he wanted to tell her something. Something important.

Her heart skipped unevenly against her chest as she walked down one of Konoha's many streets. Hanging street lamps glowed dimly along them. Glancing through a shop window she spotted a clock. It was 8:30pm. That gave her enough time. She was never normally late for anything. Examining her reflection in the window she checked herself over one last time.

Her chocolate brown hair tied up in her usual two buns but with yellow lace ties instead of plain ones. She was wearing white shorts with a soft lemon, floaty top that had a white satin ribbon around her upper waist. It seemed a bit girly for her to be wearing. The past couple of months her wardrobe had been invaded by none other than Ms. Ino Yamanaka. Ino threw out a lot of her comfy cargo trousers and slouchy tees for skirts and girly tops. Ino's changes were difficult to adjust to. But it was a sacrifice she was willing to take just to be noticed.

To be noticed by him.

It seemed to have worked in her favour. He was going to tell her something or she hoped, to ask her something. Her heart seemed to quicken as she became closer her destination. It became noticeably louder as well. She arrived about ten or fifteen minutes early. But he was always early. Never late or on time. Early. He had his back to her. He was on the other side of the clearing. The newly risen full moon was all that lit up the clearing. It gave a pearly gray sheen to everything present. It shined apon his long dark hair.

She advanced slowly toward him. Hoping he would turn around and face her with a smile on his perfect lips. She longed for him to smile. Just once. But she really wanted him to smile at her. For her. He could probably hear her heart stuttering. It was embarrassing for the young Kinochi.

"I can tell that you are nervous." He stated with his back still turned. She stopped walking toward him and could feel her face heating up slightly.

Her hopes that he would smile as he turned around to face her were crushed. He looked stoic, somewhat uncaring. His pearly white eyes were empty. Hollow. It wasn't the scene she'd expected. She imagined it differently in her head. An awkward silence fell apon the two team mates. They both stood there, analysing each other's expressions. A cold breeze whipped around the training ground causing Tenten to shudder. Neji seemed unfazed though. It blew the bottom end of her top slightly and his long brown hair around.

He surveyed her up and down like she was a horse on show.

"All dressed up I see." His voice had a hard mocking edge to it as he spoke. Tenten tried to swallow the hard lump that had risen in her throat. Neji took a step towards the brunette Kinochi.

"For what? For someone to notice you Tenten?" He sneered. Neji knew far too much for his own good. He took two more steps toward her.

"Who might I ask would you want to notice you?" Tenten's eyes dropped to her feet. She fidgeted nervously with the hem of her top.

He folded his arms over his chest and a smirk appeared on his face.

"You're pathetic." A sharp stabbing pain entered her heart. That wasn't expected. Her head snapped up to meet the face of her crush. A smirk still plastered his smug face. She could feel her eyes filling up.

_'No! I can't cry. Not here. Not in front of him…'_

She quickly blinked them away before they fell.

"Crying. It's a sign of weakness Tenten." His voice still had a mocking edge to it. He seemed to be enjoying jibing her.

"But I should have expected someone like you to cry. Someone so weak." He took another step forward. _I'Weak..?'/I_

"I am not weak!" She shouted at her team mate.

"Yes Tenten, you are. You are holding our team back. Even Lee's skills have excelled your own. All you can do is throw weapons. We're the ones carrying the team through our missions. Not you!" His words stung her so badly. Why was Neji acting this way to her? She didn't understand. "You weren't born with any special ability or jutsu. You rely only on your weapons in battle. Just face it Tenten, you are weak."

"No I am not! How dare you speak to me like that!" The Hyuuga was taken a back by her words. She pulled a kunai from her right pocket of her shorts and threw it at the prodigy. But Neji just deflected it with one of his own. "Tenten you're too predictable." He said shaking his head in mock disappointment. _I'Fine then. You want something different? I'll try something different!'/I_

She disappeared in a puff of gray smoke.

Neji quickly activated his Byuakugan on instinct. He searched the clearing for her presence. Suddenly another puff of smoke appeared behind him. Tenten aimed a high kick at his head. Neji quickly turned around to grab her foot before it could cause any damage. He twisted her foot with his right hand causing her to spin in mid air. Before she landed on the ground Tenten flipped backwards using one of her hands for support and landed a couple of meters away from Neji.

_IHe's too quick, maybe I can try dodging his moves will tire him out!I _

"Do you really think amateur moves like that will do any damage to me, its like you don't know me at all. Lets finish this I don't want to be wasting energy on you!" He snarled as he composed himself again.

"You're wrong. I will show that you don't need fancy special abilities to be strong,"

"Hmm you just keep on telling yourself that, but I think we both know who will stand and who we fall."

Tenten became angry at Neji's smug attitude and comments. She reached into her weapons pouch and pulled out a handful of shuriken and three kunai. She leapt high into the air and when she was directly above him she threw the handful of shuriken then she spun around and landed behind him. Then threw the three kunai at his back. Neji smirked, "Eight trigrams palms heavenly spin."

All of her weapons were deflected and was fired back at her with more force. She tried to protect her face with her arms on instinct. Her arms and legs were bleeding and her clothes were torn. She fell to her knees and she started to pant, but found the strength to get up.

Neji did a few hand signs, Tenten recognised them.

"Eight trigrams sixty-four palms!"

Tenten tried to dodge but she wasn't fast enough. After Neji was finished his jutsu on her he inflicted his final blow on her abdomen. The force of the blow sent her flying across the clearing. She let out a cry in pain as she crashed into the ground.

"Looks like I knew exactly who would be left standing. Your worthless, you're an amateur and who in the right mind will ever notice you?" Neji said looking down at her disgusted. Then walked away with no emotion present on his pale face.

_I~ End of Flashback ~ _

A tear trickled down her face as she placed her remaining weapons into her backpack. She wiped it away with the end of her white cotton sleeve. She rose to her feet off the wooden floor to go and fetch some medical supplies. After all, she _Iwas/I _an extremely skilled medical nin. Tsunade, Tenten's life long idol, had discovered that she had a peculiar storage of strong chakra locked away in some part of her body. That was all the information Tenten was allowed to receive about the matter.

Tsunadehad offered her the position of her apprentice! One of her many dreams was about to come true with this offering but Gai was summoned to Tsunade's office also. Shizune had asked Tenten to assist her in completing some paper work in her office.

Gai and Tsunade began to have an extremely heated dispute over her future as a Ninja when Tenten was out of ears reach. She could still hear their faint arguing a floor below and could image Gai's face as red as a tomato and veins threatening to bust out of his forehead. As she began to think about it, Gai had rarely lost his temper. Never mind had a full scale argument with another.

After about an hour of shouting the two Ninja emerged from the office and went to fetch Tenten. She _Iwas/I _going to be appointed as Tsunade's apprentice but Gai had ordered that she would become her secondary apprentice. Tenten was told that she would still learn the techniques that her primary apprentice would learn, but not to the same extent. To be honest she didn't really mind, she was Tsunade's apprentice all the same. But she still wondered what the Hokage and her sensei were arguing about in the office…

Returning from her small medical supply room with various herbs and potions, she placed them into her backpack and then got ready for bed. She went to her pyjama drawer beside her door and opened it. She had forgotten that Ino had replaced ALL of her clothes, even her pyjamas. No more oversized comfy tee-shirts.

She sighed as she pulled out a satin, rose pink nightdress. She now regretted what she had agreed to with her friend. After slipping it on she climbed into her soft bed and slowly drifted off to sleep. But not before thinking about all the disastrous possibilities of tomorrow.


	4. Ino's Preparation

Ino's Preparation 

Gazing out of her small rectangular bedroom window at her growing hometown of Konoha and the setting hazing orange sun, a stressed Kinochi began to think,

_Tomorrow… The test, the test to prove that I have improved since my battle with Sakura. I was so embarrassed to draw with such weakling, the pink toad! Drawing. Being _equal_ to your opponent. Ugh, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO!_

"Err.. I need kunai and... Other stuff. I can't even remember.." Ino scratched her head in thought. She did this when she tried really hard to think about something. "Umm.. I know!" A little light bulb suddenly lit above her head. "I'll phone TenTen. She'll know! She always knows." She scoped her small, blue bedroom to find her silver cell phone.

Checking under her white bed, under her cotton pillow, in the pockets of all her clothes in her wardrobe. "No, now I've lost my phone!" She wailed inside her wardrobe.

"Ino, come and get some ramen!" Inoichi called to his daughter as he slid her bedroom fusuma open. "Dad, there's no time for ramen!" She yelled while she searched her closet's floor. "Hey, it'll be okay, You have lots of time." He tried to reassure his daughter. When she became frantic and began to panic Ino usually broke something by accident. Something expensive. The last time she became like this, when she was preparing for her B ranked courier mission in the Village Hidden in the Clouds, she knocked over a hand painted, antique oriental vase.

"No, I don't! I only have a couple more hours to prepare! Why are you so annoying?" She moaned at her father as she came out of the closet to search elsewhere. "Hey, sweetie. Look, I'll help you after dinner," She stopped searching and stood in front of her tall father with her hands on her hips, "You find what you have misplaced when you aren't looking for it," He told her wisely and winked at his daughter. "Fine," Ino sighed in defeat and closed her eyes, "Come on, let's get some ramen," Flicking off her light switch, she followed her retreating father.

_Why me? Why did Tsunade have to choose me? Tomorrow I__'m going to be awful. I haven't practiced any of my Justus yet. What could I do? Shikamaru has all of his advanced shadow techniques at his disposal. TenTen, her unlimited arsenal of weapons, not to mention her talented ability of being a medical nin. I'm going to look so weak standing next to them… _

_Maybe after dinner and preparing my equipment, I should go and train for a few hours. Yeah, that's what I'll do! I'd better start eating my dinner, get all my energy stored up for tomorrow!_

Ino and her father entered their large kitchen. It was always clean and tidy. It was made up of four light green walls with expensive pictures of fruit bowls and portraits of the all the members of the Yamanaka family hanging on them. The dining table was dark oak with a green cloth over it. There was a vase full of a variety of beautiful and colourful flowers which Ino herself had chosen and arranged, situated on top.

Ino and Inoichi sat down on cushions directly across from each other and in unison said, "Itadaki-masu" before they began to eat. After they said thanks, they broke their chopsticks. Inoichi began to tuck into his, but his daughter sat there, staring at it and playing with it absentmindedly.

Her mind wandered to the first night she returned from her mission in the Village Hidden in the Clouds, when she met Shikamaru again... "Come on Ino, eat up!" Inoichi instructed his daughter, snapping her out of her daydream.

Then, there was a knock at the door. Inoichi placed his chopsticks on the table. He rose to his feet and went to open the door. When he opened the large door, a grin appeared on his face. "Hey Inoichi, how have you been?" It was his team mate Shikaku, who was coincidentally Shikamaru's father.

He looked exactly like Shikamaru, though obviously older. His face wrinkled and scarred from battle. His hair was tied up the same way and he was also quite lazy, like father like son as they say. "Shikaku!" He greeted warmly. "Care for some ramen?" Inoichi asked as he ushered toward where he was seated a moment ago. He stepped aside to allow his long-time friend into his home. "Yeah, sure," Shikaku answered as he stepped inside. "It's good to see you again, Ino." He greeted as he sat himself on one of the two remaining black cushions, "Big test tomorrow. Are you all prepared?"

Inoichi went off to fetch Shikaku some of his favourite ramen; Pork with soy sauce. "Are you kidding me?" She answered in a sharp tone as she stabbed a group of clustered noodles. Inoichi came back to the two ninja and placed the white china bowl in front of his spiky black haired friend. "Hey! Don't get angry Ino," Inoichi scowled as he sat down again, "Hurry up and eat. You have to prepare for tomorrow."

_I have never been so pressured in my life, what if Shikamaru thinks that I'm too weak and that thinks he would be better off with Temari? He can boast how strong and amazing she is, but with me, he can't boast. There's nothing special about me…_

Ino decided to leave the two men to talk about their day after finishing her ramen, and went up the stairs to her room. Her room was always clean, but not today. Her books and scrolls were lying all over her oak desk. There were clothes on the floor, kunai and shuriken lying in random places, some littering her cream carpet.

She slumped herself onto her stool at her dressing table, and looked in the mirror. Staring at her reflection in the mirror made her think back to her Genin days, back to when she was childish, selfish and boy crazy. She always became embarrassed an ashamed when she did look back.

She sighed and then undid her hair from its blue tie and then lifted her hairbrush. She began to brush her long, blonde hair. She like brushing her hair, it relaxed her when she did.

"Hmm… Oh! There's my phone!" She cheered happily. She placed her black hair brush on the dressing table and picked up the silver phone. "Oh dear, it's nearly eight o'clock. Better get prepared!" She tied her hair up again and then gathered her weapons up. She stuffed them into her pouch and then grabbed an old photo of Sakura and some tape.

She then grabbed some medical equipment from her bottom drawer, which she rarely opened. Ino had given up on training to be a Medical-nin some time after she was appointed. Being ranked under Sakura was extremely frustrating and distracting. She couldn't possibly work under _her. _When she discovered that TenTen was going to become Tsunade's secondary apprentice she was happy for her friend, but also relieved. Ino knew that she wasn't progressing and felt that her skills could be used for a different position.

That's when she began training to become a Courier-nin instead. Ino loved the idea of becoming one, because Courier-nin are ninja that deliver packages from one point to another. So, that would mean she would be enabled to travel the world for a living. Ino had always dreamed of travelling, but never knew that you could take up a profession which would enable you to do so, without missing out in action of the world.

She then put the supplies in a sack, rushed down the stairs and hurried out the door. "Ino, where are you going?" Inoichi called as he rose from the couch he was sitting on. He followed his daughter out the front door and watched her run off. He, and Shikaku had finished their meal and were sitting on one of the black leather couches in the Yamanaka's sitting room. "Ino!" He repeated trying to receive an answer from his daughter. "I'm going to do some last minute training!" She called over her shoulder as she ran.

Ino went into the forest and found a clearing, "This would be a great place for some personal training." She said while putting down her knapsack. Ino fished around the tan knapsack and took out the photo of Sakura and taped it to a nearby beech tree. The photo had cuts around Sakura's head where Ino had attempted to strike her head with kunai.

She then brought out three kunai from her weapons pouch. "Right, to show I _have _improved my aim since last time I tried to get her head before the Chunin exams…" She murmured to herself as she grabbed the first kunai and aimed. Ino squinted her eyes slightly, lining up her arm. Then she gave a swift fling of her arm and the kunai went soaring through the air making a high squeal as it flew.

Unfortunately, it hit Sakura's ear. Not the desired target. "Ugh, I can do better. Just have to concentrate.." Ino picked up the second kunai and aimed. She fired another strong throw, this one hit her nose. "Yes, nearly. Third times the charm…" She fired again and it hit her childhood enemy straight in the middle of her shiny forehead. "Yay. I did it!" She exclaimed triumphantly as she jumped up.

Ino was up training several hours straight. She had no rest, she set herself goals and eventually improved. Blood, sweat and tears were produced during this time. _'I'm so tired.. Can't stop, must train… Beat Forehead...'_

Ino suddenly fainted in the middle of the clearing. Her body lay motionless on the cold ground of the clearing. The forest was silent, there was no wind to rock the trees surrounding, no noise created by the various animals that lived there and there was no one present.

Who was going to find her? Will she wake in time for the test?

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**Fusuma** ~ Japanese Sliding Door

**Itadaki-masu** ~ Is said before having a meal. It is giving thanks for the food.

Poor Ino! Getting all worked up isn't great for your health. :( Hahaha. Using Sakura's picture as a target. Typical Ino. Anyways, please review! What do you think will happen to her! Dun dun DUN!


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